Jar of Hearts
by ALiteraryLife
Summary: Bella is new to Forks, arriving after the death of her mother. Emmett befriends her and they become quite close. Meanwhile, Edward is growing attracted to Bella. Starts out vague Bella/Edward, inevitably leads to Bella/Emmett. 18  for language, sex, etc.
1. Ch 1  Forks

**Chapter 1 – Forks**

**BPOV**

My life hasn't exactly been easy lately. Actually, that's a pretty big understatement. I've always tried to be humble and remember that there are people in the world starving to death, children are abducted and forced to fight in wars, and rape and murder runs rampant. That's always seemed to do the trick; the more I think about what others are suffering through, the easier it seems to get through my petty bullshit. But not today; I don't have to be humble today.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Mrs. Lexan took my hands between hers and squeezed tightly, her eyes searching mine desperately. The way her eyes darted back and forth reminded me of the time she had chased me through her yard, swinging a rake at me. She had that same crazy look and now I found myself wondering if that was just her nature. I'd never paid much attention before.

I squeezed back and smiled softly, mimicking the way she patted my hands. I couldn't bring myself to say something to placate her. I didn't need to be strong today. Today, "strong" would just mean "fake" and I wasn't willing to be fake on the day of my mother's funeral.

Mrs. Lexan moved on, pulling her husband behind her. He nodded at me and I appreciated the fact that he didn't stop to say one of the three phrases I'd heard nearly fifty times today. Instead, he shuffled after his wife, looking around the funeral home as though he was planning his own funeral services.

Charlie's arm brushed mine and I looked up to see him squeezing the bridge of his nose, preparing himself for the next line of sympathizers. Another stab of sorrow stuck me as I looked up at him. There had been some rocky moments in my parents' marriage, but they had worked through them awhile back and hadn't had a fight in months, which was a record for them. Things had been good and the future looked bright. All that had been shattered with a simple stop light malfunction.

"Dad," I whispered, drawing his attention to me. The dark purple bags under his eyes told me he hadn't been sleeping, despite the sleeping pills the doctor had prescribed both of us. I wasn't terribly surprised; I hadn't taken them either.

"Yeah, Bells?"

I nodded toward the exit of the funeral home and looked back up at him.

"Get out of here. I'll use pity to get out. It's easier to forgive a distraught teenage girl's rudeness than the Chief of Police."

Charlie looked longingly at the exit door and then offered me a weak smile. It looked so out of place that it nearly made me smile just from the absurdity of it all. We don't smile anymore! I mean, how could we, really?

Charlie patted my hand, much like Mrs. Lexan, which nearly did make me smile, and then pushed past me. I waited until he was safely out the door before standing up on a chair behind me. Under normal circumstances, I'd never willingly stand on a chair and draw attention to myself, but today was anything but normal.

"Um. Hi? So, thanks for coming, but you can all leave now. Thanks for your well wishes and all that, but I just don't think we can take much more. So, thanks, but… See ya."

I climbed down from the chair and stretched back behind a large easel holding a framed photo of mom. I grabbed my purse and then, as a last minute thought, I grabbed the frame and hauled it out of the funeral home. The quiet murmurs of people who thought they'd be invited back to our house for a gathering followed me out the door.

Charlie pulled the car around a few moments later and I put the frame in the backseat before climbing into the front. Charlie peeled out of the parking lot without another word and we drove home in silence. There were no more words to be said; we were beyond the point of talking.

The following two weeks passed in a blur. I'd been on winter break when the accident happened, but now school was right around the corner. That alone was depressing enough, but coupled with the fact that Charlie and I were about to move to the middle of nowhere and I thought I may actually never get out of bed again.

The idea to move hadn't been mine, but I understood it, even if I didn't like it. Charlie couldn't stand to live in the house anymore and hadn't actually slept in his and mom's bed since mom died. I know he has been having a harder time dealing than I have, but I honestly believe that is just because I had been exploring my independence for a few years, whereas Charlie had spent nearly every waking moment either at work or with mom. Now he couldn't be with mom and he couldn't stand to be at work. We had to leave; I understood, just didn't like it.

We left early on a Friday morning. The sun was just beginning to touch the sky as we pulled out of the driveway, saying goodbye to our home and previous life. Charlie didn't speak as he drove and as we crossed the Phoenix city limits, I put my headphones on and closed my eyes, refusing to see the Arizona State sign one last time. Guster lulled me to sleep, promising to take me to the moon in a rocket ship.

I've had the same dream every night (or day, as I hadn't actually gotten out of bed for awhile there) and this morning was no different.

_I sat in a small coffee shop, listening to one of the most beautiful female voices in the world sing about lost love. Her words clung to the air around me and while I normally didn't enjoy pop songs about love, this one seemed to touch something inside me. _

"_I cannot go to the ocean_

_I cannot drive the streets at night_

_I cannot wake up in the morning_

_Without you on my mind_

_So you're gone and I'm haunted…" _

_I set down my cup of coffee and leaned back in my seat, allowing the words to flow through me. As I sat there, pondering the song and wondering what heartbreak had driven the song's creation, something on the street pulled my gaze out the window. _

_A familiar car sat idle at a stop light directly in front of my table. In the driver's seat, a familiar brunette fiddled with a necklace hanging from the rear view mirror as she waited for the light to change. As I watched her, a sense of urgency surged through my body and I found myself on my feet, moving toward the door._

_As I stepped outside, the light turned green and the brunette caught my eye, smiling with recognition. She waved and then pressed down on the gas, pushing the car forward into the intersection. A scream rose and died in my throat as I saw another car come barreling into the intersection and slam into the brunette's side of the car. The green hue from all four streetlights gave the intersection an eerie sort of glow as I ran toward my mom's car. _

_I wrenched open the passenger door and watched as her body crumpled across the seats, held vertically upright in a menacing angle by the seatbelt. Blood poured from her head, dripping down her face and onto the seat. _

"_Mom!" I yelled and jerked at the seatbelt to release it. Once free, I pulled her into my lap and pushed her hair out of her eyes, wiping away some blood with it. _

_Blood still poured from her head, but by wiping some away I was able to get a good look at her face; her face, with my features. My eyes stared up at me, vacant and dull; my lips frozen in a silent scream; my nose, bloody and crooked. _

_With a gasp and a shudder, I stared into my own lifeless eyes as I held my mangled body against my chest. _

I awoke with Charlie's hand on my knee, shaking me as he called to me. A thin layer of sweat covered my body and I tasted blood in my mouth.

"Shit." I said and touched a fingertip to the side of my tongue. "I bit my tongue again."

Charlie frowned and sat back, propping his elbow up on the window ledge as he looked back at the road.

"The dream again?" he asked, though I knew he already knew the answer. I nodded and turned in my seat, looking out the window.

"Are we almost there?"

Charlie chuckled and shook his head. "It's a long drive, Bells. We'll go for a couple more hours and then pull in for the night." Charlie reached for his coffee and took a long swallow, making a face as he did. "Cold." He muttered and set it back down.

I looked at the clock on the dash and frowned, shaking my head. "I can drive, you know. I've slept and I probably won't sleep tonight. Why don't we just drive straight through? You can sleep and I'll…"

"No." Charlie looked at me and shook his head. "This isn't my car, Bella. I might have a car lined up for me once we get to Forks, but I'm not taking any chances with this one. I'd end up owing Phoenix PD for it and I'm not about to do that."

I groaned and sat back again. Resigning myself to another long night.

* * *

><p>The rest of the drive to Forks wasn't as bad as I was anticipating. I'd been right when I thought I would have a long night and I ended up staying up all night and sleeping through the drive to Forks. When I woke up, it wasn't to the feeling of Charlie shaking my knee, but rather to the sound of something beating down on the car. I sat up and looked around, watching as thick, angry drops of rain and sleet beat against the car.<p>

"Welcome to Forks, Bella." Charlie smiled, a genuine smile, and turned up the speed on the windshield wipers.

I'd done some research on Forks and had resigned myself to years of wet socks, jeans, and frizzy hair. Still, seeing the icy rain pour down around us so relentlessly made the gloom in my soul double. I tried to remind myself of starving people, child soldiers, and abuse victims, but even that couldn't distract me from the sadness I suddenly felt for leaving my home state behind.

We pulled up in front of a small, somewhat isolated house, a short time later. Charlie gave me his jacket and told me to run up to the house while he got our things from the car. Grabbing a smaller, carry on sized bag, I draped his jacket over my head and stepped out of the car- right into an icy puddle. With a groan of annoyance and a sigh of resolution, I ran from the car and up onto the porch, only hitting one patch of ice on the way. Still, I managed to stay on my feet, which was a surprise, given how much snow and ice there was. Charlie followed a few minutes later, carrying two suitcases and a smaller bag.

I took the keys from his chest pocket and opened the door, letting him go in first. The house smelled stale and a bit musky, but it was slightly warm (a nice change from the sweltering heat I was used to back home) and inviting. For the most part, furniture was pretty sparse. There were a few tables here and there, but nothing major. Charlie and I would be sleeping on air mattresses until we bought new furniture, but at least I'd have some privacy again. Being stuck in car and a single hotel room with my dad for two days just didn't exactly spell fun for me.

I helped Charlie set up the air mattresses and stretched sheets across his, throwing a pillow and blanket down on his bed before I went to my room and repeated the process. Checking my phone, I saw that it was nearly three in the morning, which meant I had another few hours before I could talk Charlie into going furniture shopping. He needed sleep, anyway, and I needed time to myself.

As I sat on my air mattress, staring around my room, I began to think of how I would decorate my room and how mom would have suggested I do it. The most important part to me was having a desk where I could set up my computer and draw when I wanted to.

I heard Charlie's door close and then reopen suddenly. He walked down the hall and knocked on my door before pushing it open. "Night, Bella. We'll, uh, you know, get some stuff to fix up the house tomorrow." He pointed around my room, indicating curtains, a bed, and hopefully a desk. I nodded, said good night and watched him as he pulled the door closed. Moments later, his door closed behind him and the house stood quiet.

I still hadn't gotten used to Charlie being the one to say goodnight to me. Obviously, neither had he.

The sounds of assault died out as the icy rain came to a stop and I got up, moving to the window. I pushed it open and allowed some of the cool, fresh air into the room, hoping it would clear out the smell of stale musk. As I peered out the window, a sudden urge to be outside, despite the bitter cold, washed over me and I grabbed Charlie's jacket before leaving the room.

As I stepped out onto the porch, I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling an unfamiliar chill on the wind. The trees at the edge of our property swayed gently, invitingly. Being a desert city-dweller, I had no idea what may lie beyond those trees, but had a pretty good feeling whatever it was wouldn't like my presence much.

Still, I walked down the steps carefully and made my way across the yard until I reached the edge of the forest. I stopped in front of the trees to listen, not actually allowing myself to breech the line of the forest. The sounds were peaceful; owls called to one another; something, like a deer, scampered off; wolves howled gracefully in the distance. I closed my eyes and smiled, allowing the sounds to wash over me. I'd never had much exposure to nature aside from scorpions, centipedes, and other desert crawlers. This was an intriguing change, though I didn't want to risk my safety just for the sake of exploring. I wasn't that stupid. I'd wait until light.

**EPOV**

The forest called to me. As always, being its bitch, I leapt off the porch and landed firmly beside the jeep, feeling the snow and slush crunch under my boots. I stayed still, remaining in my semi-crouching position, as I listened to the sounds of the forest. Quickly, the environment categorized itself in my head: Prey vs. non-prey. I filed the information away, understanding that if I went too far west, I would find nothing more than a few barn owls, which I refuse to hunt anyway. I'd fair better going east, but really, my best bet was to head south, deep into the heart of the forest. There, I could hear deer, elk, bears, and a menagerie of small animals, which I wouldn't prey upon. I shuffled them into the non-prey category and smirked, deciding all in all, it would be a good hunt.

The door slammed behind me and Jasper landed beside me silently. He stood up straight and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was grinning. "I reckon we have a game ahead. The usual rules, brother?"

I considered for a second, but ultimately decided the normal point values were fair, especially given that Rosalie wouldn't be accompanying us tonight. She was always such a distraction when it came to the games.

"And Edward?" I asked, looking back at the house.

Jasper shook his head and I nodded, refocusing my attention on the forest.

"Shall we?" Jasper smirked at me and nodded toward the trees. I nodded in response and together we flew into the forest.

It didn't take long before we had each found our first prey. Jasper took down an elk with ease and style. Not a drop of blood wasted. I, myself, preferred to get a little messy; nothing major, just a few pints of blood at most. It made me feel more alive. As I faced off against a rather large black bear, I heard Jasper chuckle and sit down, likely leaning against a tree.

"Good, maybe you can learn a few things." I called to him, causing my bear to roar with surprise and perhaps annoyance.

We collided then, claws and teeth tearing at one another as we tangled together and crashed to the ground. We decimated a tree as we rolled together, trying to find each other's weakest spot. It felt good to wrestle someone of my own caliber for a change. Jasper was always good for practice, but he wasn't a match for my strength. I liked the challenge of strength, while Jasper preferred the challenge of skill and cunning, which was more Edward's speed. I had to admit, there were times when my strength was no match for Jasper's skill and cunning. Or Edward's speed and mind reading for that matter.

The wind shifted and I felt a jolt of electricity pass through me, shocking me to my feet. Jasper was already standing, leaning into the wind. Our eyes met and locked for a split second before I turned, incapacitating my opponent. The bear went down with a groan and a plume of dust and leaves rose into the air from the force of his fall. I fed quickly and then joined Jasper.

"That's new." Jasper said, simply. I nodded and shrugged a little. "Campers, maybe? We get tourists from time to time."

"In winter weather like this? Not likely." Jasper frowned and leaned forward a little more, though he made no moves toward the smell.

We stood together in silence, each of us acknowledging and ignoring the venom pooling in our mouths. It wasn't entirely unusual to pick up a scent so enticing it made our mouths water, but Forks is a small town and we'd learned to deal with all the scents it held. This one though…

"Let's head back." Jasper broke the silence and turned around, moving back toward the house. Of the family, he had the least amount of control over his urges and while we had just fed, he didn't like to expose himself to the humans when not necessary. Aside from school, Jasper spent very little time around them at all.

"Go ahead. I'm gonna scope it out. I'd like to have an idea of what we're dealing with so we're not broadsided later. Maybe it is just tourists… In Forks… In winter..." I raised an eyebrow and shook my head, considering the lunacy of that statement.

Jasper nodded impatiently and vanished without a word. Doing the same, I turned and flew through the forest silently, finding my way to the scent.

Moments later, I found myself staring through a patch of trees at a human girl. I'd never seen her before and was certain I'd never picked up her scent before. She stood on the other side of the forest line and a house I'd never seen before sat behind her. Instantly, I decided she must be visiting family or something.

I watched as she placed a hand on the tree immediately in front of her and gazed up at the stars. The hood over her head cast a shadow across her face, but I could tell she was pale, much like all Forks' residents. When she lowered her head again, I saw a strange shadow cross her face; pain perhaps? She didn't look like she was in pain though…

"Wish I may, wish I might…" She muttered. Her voice was slightly hollow, as though laced with suffering. Something inside me twitched and before I could stop myself, I zipped up my jacket to cover what little blood I'd gotten on me, parted the branches and strode into the clearing.

"…Get the wish, I wish tonight." I finished for her. She gasped and jumped back, catching her foot on a rock. She stumbled several times, but retained her footing.

"What the fuck?" She choked out, her words heavy with accusation.

I put my hands up, like that was going to do any good, and took a single step back.

"Take it easy. I just thought I'd say hello." I smiled my best, most charming smile, and her face twisted even more, as though she smelled something rotten. I raised an eyebrow and felt my smile slide from my face.

"Who are you? Why are you in the forest? Were you watching me?" She looked around for a second before locking her eyes back onto mine. There was something fierce in those eyes.

"Name's Emmett." I stretched out my hand, knowing I could count on the weather to excuse my icy skin, but she didn't take it, so I let it fall again, lowering both arms to my sides. "I live on the other side of the forest. I was just out taking a walk and heard you."

The girl stared at me for a second and then crossed her arms over her chest.

"Must've been walking pretty damn close to have heard me, given that I didn't say anything until a few seconds before you popped out of the trees."

I grimaced and then shrugged, allowing my expression to clear. I pasted on my boyish grin, the one most girls swooned over, and nodded toward the trees.

"I guess you could say that. I've never been over this way so I was doing some exploring. Thought I'd see how far the trees went. I guess now I know."

She nodded, looking around for a way out of our conversation. She intrigued me.

"Got a name?" I asked, pulling her gaze back to my eyes.

"Bella." She said, nearly spitting it out. It wasn't an aggressive spit though; more like she just didn't know how to handle herself. Briefly, I wondered if she held her arms the way she did to keep from shaking. As though reading my mind, she dropped her arms and pulled her jacket tighter.

"I'm from Phoenix," she said, as though that explained it all. Which, I guess it kind of did.

"Ah. What brings you up here? Visiting?" I asked and drug a hand through my hair. A shadow once again crossed over Bella's features momentarily. She shook her head and nodded back toward the house.

"Moved here. Actually, just got here about fifteen minutes ago. My dad's asleep and I don't sleep well at night, so I though I'd…" She waved to the yard and the forest and then shrugged, smiling slightly.

"Right," I said and took a step closer, out of the trees. To my surprise, she didn't move away, but held her ground. Her scent washed over me and I felt my body stiffen a little, which was strange, given how used to humans I was. My throat began to itch, despite my having just fed.

"You okay?" She asked, a confused expression on her face. "You look like… Like you just got punched in the gut or something."

I laughed, despite the fact that I did kind of feel that way. "Yeah, I'm cool. Thanks."

Bella nodded and glanced around nervously again. I watched as she pulled her lip into her mouth and chewed on it gently. A nervous tick, perhaps?

"I should…" She pointed to the house and made an awkward step to turn around. She twisted wrong and winced before standing up straight again. When she turned to look at me, I saw that blood had filled her cheeks, a telltale sign of embarrassment. "See you around, Emmett."

I nodded and raised a hand in a wave. Just as I was about to walk back in to the trees, she stopped and turned around. "Hey, Emmett? Um, do you go to Forks High?"

I nodded and she smiled a little, a look of relief crossing her features.

"Maybe I'll see you there," she said. "It would be nice to have one person I know there."

I nodded yet again and then stopped, realizing I must look like a bobblehead. I smiled and waved again.

"See ya, Bella."

I watched her walk all the way back up to the house, noticing the way she slipped on the steps leading up to the porch. She cursed under her breath and glanced back at me. When she saw me, an embarrassed groan escaped her lips and she pulled open the front door, disappearing inside. With an amused chuckle, I walked back into the forest and began making my way back to the house.

Bella's scent clung to me, making me want to go back and learn more about her. I resisted the temptation, acknowledging that any time I wanted to do something because of someone's scent, I was better off staying away.

Turns out, staying away was harder than I thought it would be.

* * *

><p>School started back up a few days later. It had been snowing for days though, and thankfully, there appeared to be no indication of it giving up anytime soon. I pulled the jeep into the parking lot in our usual spot (for some reason, no one ever tried to take our spot), and Edward pulled in next to us. Rosalie checked her make up in the mirror one last time, despite my telling her she looked beautiful as always, and Alice giggled as Jasper tickled her side nonchalantly. Just another day for the Cullen kids.<p>

We climbed out of the cars and grouped together, Edward always walking in back as the couples tended to stay together. I slid my arm around Rosalie's waist and she leaned against me. Alice was still giggling softly, though this time she giggled each time she poked Jasper in the side, earning a low growl from him.

"Alice, you know how he hates when you poke him. Don't you know what kind of retribution he's planning?" Edward sounded amused and I glanced back at him. Sure enough, a smirk crossed his lips and I gathered that Jasper's thoughts must have been focused on planning revenge.

"_Revenge?" _I asked Edward silently, and he nodded, hearing my thoughts. I smirked back and the five of us crossed into the building. Just as we walked through the doors, murmurs and rushed whispers started up around us. I turned and saw a group of kids gathering just outside on the steps, pointing toward a car in the parking lot. I peered past them to see a Phoenix police cruiser parked near the exit, as though trying to remain inconspicuous.

The passenger door opened a few seconds later and Bella climbed out, a hood pulled over her head, even though it wasn't raining or snowing at that precise moment. She grimaced as she looked up and saw nearly the entire school population staring at her.

"Who's that?" Jasper said, probably noticing the sudden interest in the air.

"That's Bella," I replied, half distracted by the gathering crowds.

"And who is Bella? And how do you know her?" Rosalie tugged on my arm and I looked down to see her staring at me with slightly annoyed eyes.

I shrugged and turned back just in time to see her pull her backpack over her shoulder, push her earbuds into place, and turn on her ipod. From that moment on, she walked with her head down, tuning out the people around her.

"Met her last night," I said and turned back to Rosalie, slipping my arm around her waist. "On the hunt. Jasper and I smelled her and I went investigating. She just moved her. Nice enough. Shy and awkward as hell."

Rosalie continued to stare at me and I shrugged again as I began to walk back inside the building, pulling her with me.

"Wait," Edward said, his voice firm. We all turned to stare at him. He was staring intently at Bella and then closed his eyes, letting his head drop a little. I recognized the motion and knew he was listening to her thoughts.

"I can't hear her," he said finally, looking up at her. "Nothing. It's like she's not thinking anything at all."

"Maybe she's just far away," Jasper said, glancing back at Bella. Edward shook his head and frowned deeply. "No, I can hear everyone else. You know my range."

Jasper nodded and once again, we all turned to stare at Bella. The moment she came close enough for us to smell her, Edward tensed and turned, walking off quickly. Jasper grabbed Alice, whom I noticed hadn't said a word since we'd seen Bella, and marched off, leaving only Rosalie and I.

"Come on," Rosalie said and took my hand, pulling me with her. I went, but looked back in time to see Bella look up as she began to climb the steps. Her eyes met mine and she smiled awkwardly, her eyes lighting up with recognition. I gave a slight wave, returning her smile, and called out to her.

"Welcome to Forks High, Bella!" She cringed and lowered her head instantly as everyone around us stopped and turned to stare at her.

Rosalie growled quietly and pulled me with her, leaving me no chance to see how Bella faired.

**BPOV**

My first day at my new school went both better and worse than I was expecting. Apparently being the new girl in a small town means everyone wants to know your life story and recruit you to their little clicks. A couple of people seemed legitimately nice, others seemed like snakes waiting to attack. By noon, I'd met so many people, I honestly couldn't keep track of anyone's names… except Jessica Stanley. She kind of insisted I remember her. We had a few classes together and her friend Mike Something seemed like a nice guy. He carried my math book for me after math class, which kind of ruined it for me, but I tried to ignore it. By lunch time, I was dying to be by myself. I briefly considered grabbing food and finding a bathroom to hide in.

When I walked into the cafeteria, I suddenly regretted not putting my ipod on. Dozens of heads closest to the door turned to stare at me and the room grew quiet as the seconds ticked by. I sighed and pulled my hood up over my head, reaching into my pocket for my headphones. Seconds later… Sweet, lyrical relief.

I grabbed food, keeping my mind focused on what I was doing so I wouldn't trip or drop something, and then turned, hoping to find an empty table. Instead, I walked face first into the broadest, hardest chest in the history of the world.

"Shit," I muttered and bent down, trying to pick up my food as gracefully as possible. I looked up to see Emmett standing in front of me with a perplexed look on his face. He bent and helped me with the rest of my food before folding his arms over his chest. His very large, toned arms. I pulled the headphones from my ears and draped them around my neck before looking up at him.

"You okay?" he asked, though I noticed he took a step back. I nodded and shrugged, pulling my backpack higher on my shoulder.

"Sure, just, you know, socially scarred for life."

Emmett laughed and we both glanced around to see dozens of eyes on us, just watching.

"Don't worry about them," he said, shaking his head. "Pariahs." I smiled despite my humiliation and nodded.

"Well, I better be…" I pointed toward the cafeteria door and started making my way there when Jessica linked her arm through mine, almost forcing my food onto the floor again.

"Bella! Where are you going? Come on, you can eat with us." She smiled excitedly and I got the feeling she was legitimately happy to see me. I followed her despite every bone in my body telling me to run the other way. I threw a quick glance over my shoulder and saw Emmett standing there with the single most beautiful, blonde woman standing at her side, her hand on his shoulder. She looked as pissed as Jessica sounded happy. I quickly lowered my eyes and followed Jessica to the table.

The rest of the day passed in a blur; the only exception being biology class. My new, overly friendly teacher sat me beside a guy named Edward; a beautiful guy who looked like he was in extreme pain. I'd never really seen anything like it before; between his flawless features and the pain on his face, I found myself growing more and more intrigued as the moments passed. There were a few times when I tried to make eye contact to see if he was okay, but he was sitting so far away with his body angled toward the window that I really couldn't get a good look at him. Still, even with his body turned away and his pained expression, I couldn't help but try to steal a few glances at him. I gave up halfway through and passed time doodling in my notebook. I was still so engrossed in what I was drawing that I didn't hear the bell ring and when I looked up, Edward was gone and Mike was standing in front of me grinning.

I smiled awkwardly and began packing my things into my bag.

"Missed the bell, huh?" He said, pointing out the obvious. I had to remind myself that he was just being friendly and having a few friends at my new school wouldn't kill me. I smiled, perhaps too big, and nodded.

"Yeah, guess so."

He laughed and ran a hand through his blonde, only slightly greasy hair. He walked me to my next class, which it turned out we had together and then walked me to the parking lot after school. I got the very distinct feeling that Mike, while nice, would make me crazy by the time the week ended.

We said goodbye when Mike mentioned needing to get to his after school job and I leaned against the building, waiting for Charlie. A few people said goodbye, most I didn't recognize, and I smiled in reply. As the minutes ticked by, I grew colder and colder. Light flurries of snow began to fall, sticking to my hair and melting on my cheeks. I was just about to call Charlie when Emmett walked up the steps, the blonde trailing behind him with a scowl on her face.

"Hey, Bella," Emmett said with a grin. I nodded and muttered a hello before pulling my phone out of my pocket.

"Stranded?" He asked and I nodded again. "Looks like my dad forgot or got held up at work."

Emmett nodded a little, glancing over his shoulder into the parking lot.

"Well, do you need a ride? We could probably take you." Emmett reached his hand back, holding it out to his girlfriend who declined to take it. The hostility radiating off her made my decision for me.

"I'm good. But thanks, Emmett."

He shrugged and looked back at the blonde. "This is my girlfriend, Rosalie. Rosalie, meet Bella."

Rosalie gave me a long hard look before turning and walking away without a word. I couldn't hold back my scoff. Emmett turned back to face me, gave an apologetic shrug and then jogged to catch up with Rosalie.

"Guess that's one friend I won't be keeping." I muttered. Emmett glanced over his shoulder as though on cue and gave me a sideways grin, which I couldn't help but return. Seconds later, Charlie pulled into the parking lot.

* * *

><p>Despite my long day and the exhaustion that had crept into my bones, I couldn't sleep, yet again. I glanced out my window and saw that the snow and sleet had finally stopped. I hadn't gotten a chance to step out under the stars again since that first night thanks to the weather. I grabbed a coat and pulled it on over my hoodie, reminding myself that layers would be necessary in Forks.<p>

I passed Charlie's room and heard his soft snores coming from the other side of the door. He still didn't talk much, but at least he was sleeping at night. That was a start. I stepped out onto the porch and pulled the door closed behind me. The porch light lit up the yard well enough that I could make my way down to the trees, where I had positioned a garden bench two days earlier. I brushed off the ice and sat down, ignoring the cold as it spread over my thighs, and took a deep breath. I missed Phoenix like hell, but the night air in Forks seemed to rejuvenate my soul.

A twig snapped in the forest and I looked up to see Emmett step through the trees. He walked toward me like it was the most natural thing in the world and stopped about five feet away, folding his arms over his chest.

"Out for a stroll?" I asked, earning a nonchalant wave of the hand from Emmett.

"Sure. Something like that. Thought I'd do a little more exploring and see if I could catch you out and about. How was your first day?"

I stared at him for a second and then looked away, staring up into the sky. The clouds kept me from seeing the stars, but I knew they were there regardless.

"Well," I said, taking a deep breath. "I'm the most popular girl in school apparently. Jessica Stanley – oh, yeah, apparently we're best friends now – thinks that it's because I'm a commodity. You guys don't get many new students, or what?" Emmett shrugged and I continued. "Well, apparently everyone wants to know me and recruit me to their little group so that it seems like they are the most popular ones in school. A very suspicious part of me kind of wants to know if that's Jessica's motive too. She seems too nice for that though."

"Ah," Emmett said with a chuckle. "Gotta watch out for the nice ones. They're the most dangerous."

I studied him for a second and began picking at my fingernails.

"So, by that logic, your girlfriend should be the safest, nicest person at Forks High?"

Emmett groaned and leaned against the nearest tree. "Sorry about that. She doesn't take to new people very well. Actually, my entire family generally likes to keep to themselves."

"Your family?" I asked, somewhat curious.

"Yeah. Uh, it's a bit complex. My parents adopted me, my sister Alice, Rosalie, her brother Jasper, and another one of us, Edward."

"Wait," I said, putting up my hand. "So you and Rosalie are adopted siblings, but you date. And your siblings date each other too?"

"Don't judge," Emmett said, though a smile pulled at his lips. "Yeah. Pretty much. We tend to keep to ourselves and people don't really understand it, but it works for us. It's a little unconventional-" I scoffed loudly. "-but we don't care."

I watched him for a few seconds and then, appealing to the side of me that hated all the attention and obvious judgments I received today, I nodded.

"Alright then. Good for you guys. And your brother, Edward, he wouldn't happen to have biology fifth period, would he?"

Emmett nodded and looked away as though I'd said something wrong.

"Yeah. But I think he was trying to change his schedule. It may not work though."

Emmett cocked his head to the side as though listening to something in the forest and then turned back to me. He smiled, almost sadly, and then stood up, moving away from the tree.

"I gotta head back. Maybe I'll bump into you out here again on these clear nights."

I nodded and smiled, receiving one back and then he disappeared into the trees. I stared after him for awhile, only breaking my gaze when I realized I was staring at the spot where he'd disappeared. I smiled, thinking of the way his eyes sparkled when he grinned and then shook my head, willing the thought away.

"Get a grip, Bella." I whispered and went back inside to another sleepless night spent at my desk drawing and reading. Every now and then I found myself at my window, staring down at those trees, which seemed to call to me.

What was stranger than the way the trees seemed to call to me is the way the shadows seemed to move. A few times I thought I saw Emmett standing just inside the trees, but I'd blink and he'd be gone.

Seeing strangers in the dark. Big, bulky, really attractive, strangers. Welcome, to Forks, Bella. The tiny town of modelesque brothers, painfully beautiful blondes, and a school filled with overly eager snakes.

**A/N: Hello, readers! I'm back with a new story. For those of you who had been following TLF, my Bella/Jasper story, just know that I have only temporarily set it aside. I will pick it up again someday, but Emmett has just been calling to me. I wanted to revisit his personality. Thanks for reading and please review! Cheers. **


	2. Ch 2 Clash

**Chapter 2 – Clash**

**EPOV**

"What?" I growled and spun around to face Edward. He stared at me, his eyes shooting daggers through me.

"I can see where you've been. Don't try to ignore me. What are you thinking, Emmett? She's human. You can't be friends with humans."

Edward's eyes held truth, yet something in them betrayed him. I searched for the truth, staring at him until his eyes fell away. He knew I was suspicious of him. He could hear it in my thoughts. When he looked up again, his eyes were darker than they had been moments before; still golden, but there was a darkness to them that couldn't be defined. He drug a hand through his hair, barely bothering the style he had set for himself.

"Her blood…" he whispered. "It calls to me. She's in my bio class. Sits at the same damn table as me. I can't…"

He trailed off and I watched him, sympathy filling me. Bella's blood was tempting; I'd be the first to admit it. The night Jasper and I had first caught wind of her, it was so enticing, I could only follow my instincts and find the source of the mouth-watering temptation. And I'd found her, that's for damn sure.

"…Stay away." I finished for him. He nodded and took a deep, unnecessary breath. "It's even worse because I can't hear her thoughts. She's so… Peaceful. And intriguing." He frowned and then his expression cleared. "You can't be friends with a human, Emmett. You know how dangerous it is. I can't even go back to school now. She's not safe around me; can you honestly say she is safe around you?"

I searched my mind and knew Edward was following my thoughts. Bella was tempting, there was no denying it. Still, if I continued visiting her just after feeding…

"And Rosalie?" Edward asked, making me groan. Rosalie still didn't know I'd gone to visit Bella. She didn't approve of my interest in befriending Bella, and that was putting it lightly.

"She may not be one of us, Edward, but she could use a friend who isn't preying on her in hopes of using her to boost their popularity. She'd be safe with me. I haven't been getting close enough to put her in danger, really."

Edward glared at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Could you smell her?" I nodded and he clicked his tongue like he'd just knocked over my queen and was about to take my king. "Then you've been getting close enough."

I growled under my breath, pushing past him on my way to my room.

"Look," I said, spinning around. "Maybe it's me, alright. Maybe I need a friend. You guys are great and all, but maybe I want a friend who is just friends with me because she wants to be; not because she has to be."

I paused, seeing confusion on his face.

"You live here out of loyalty to Carlisle and wanting to fit in with a coven that retains even a trace of its humanity. Alice and Jasper want the peace and home life. Rosalie just wants acceptance and while she loves me, she's not satisfied with her life. It shows sometimes. I just want someone I can be friends with for the hell of it; not out of obligation."

I followed Edward's gaze and turned, finding Rosalie standing at the top of the stairs. Her eyes were dark, filled with anger, and she had her hands on her hips: a sure sign of danger.

"I'm not satisfied? Really, Emmett? I haven't been the one talking about traveling and meeting new vampires, expanding our circle of friends. I haven't been the one who disappears after sex to play video games with strangers so I can pretend to be someone I'm not. What do you tell them your name is, Emmett? Christopher? Jax? Tadd? I know you like to play different roles…"

She trailed off, her eyes burning into mine.

"You have friends," I replied. "You go off and visit Tanya and the girls, staying for weeks at a time. You have a life outside of me and this coven. I don't. Maybe I just want to feel like a normal teenager for once."

"You're not a normal teenager!" Her voice came out in a cross between a scream and a hiss. "And I'm not running off to be friends with humans. Or with guys!"

I lowered my head, knowing what she said was at least partially true. But damn, all I wanted was to be friends with the girl. It was completely innocent.

When I looked up, Rosalie was staring at me and some of the anger had gone from her face.

"Why, Emmett?"

I shrugged.

"Emmett!"

"I don't know, Rose. I just… I just want a friend. She's new here and doesn't have any preconceived notions about us. She's not running around with her friends calling us freaks and shit. She's nice. I don't know. I just…"

Rosalie frowned, her left eye twitching slightly. Her thought process had kicked off and I was a bit worried about where it would take her.

"I don't want her around me. I don't want her around the house. I don't want you bringing her anywhere near the rest of us. If you want to be friends with the thing, fine, but that's it. You say hi, you chit-chat, you visit, whatever. If I see, even once, that being around her is beginning to wear on you, or us… That'll be it."

Somewhere deep inside me, I found a few reasons to take offense. I didn't like the thought of getting permission from Rosalie. In fact, I hadn't asked in the first place. Still, I bit my tongue warring with myself. I could make a bigger mess than I already had, or I could accept that friendship with Bella would be possible with limits. Maybe limits were for the best anyway.

"Fine." I said and moved past her, heading up the stairs.

"You think that wise?" I heard Edward ask as I closed the bedroom door. Silence followed and I understood that Rosalie was telling Edward something by thinking to him. Something she didn't want me to hear.

A short time later, I slipped out the door and into the forest.

* * *

><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

I didn't see Edward in class the next day. Or the one after that. He was never in the cafeteria either. Emmett seemed distant during the day, only nodding and smiling from his table, never actually talking to me. But he showed up at night; even during last night's rain, he showed up anyway. I spotted him sitting on the garden bench sometime after Charlie had gone to bed. I'd joined him, though he moved after a few minutes and ended up leaning against a tree again.

I frequently found myself studying him while he talked. And he talked a lot. He told a lot of jokes, bragged about himself a lot, told me very little about his actual life, but seemed to enjoy me just listening to him. And I did enjoy listening to him. Something about his voice reverberated inside me. I wanted to hear him talk and often asked him to tell me a story about Forks or himself just to get him to keep talking.

Of course, he was interested in me, as well. I told him about my mom's death, our move, Charlie's new job as Chief of Police, but avoided his questions about my sleep patterns and the bags under my eyes. Sleep still eluded me; only coming when my body just shut down. And then the dreams came.

We talked for at least an hour each night. Sometimes we'd stay out long after I'd begun to shiver and although Emmett always mentioned I should go inside, he never pushed it too far; as though he wasn't entirely serious about me going in. Talking to him came easy and I laughed more with him than I did at any other time. It was just… simple and easy. I wasn't sure why he only talked to me in the middle of the night and why he seemed to be keeping his distance, but I wasn't complaining.

I'd come to find out that the Cullen family, while mysterious and intriguing, were black listed at Forks High. Everyone thought they were weird and couldn't understand their relationships, all but throwing out the word incest. I didn't like it. I'd started to defend Emmett once, saying that growing up an orphan must be hard, especially when the people around him seem to judge him before getting to know him.

I might as well have told them I had a third nipple on the back of my knee. They all looked at me like I was losing my mind; how could I defend them? Jessica thought they were beautiful, of course, but seemed hell bent on convincing me of their flaws. I had gotten used to shrugging her off and avoiding the topic.

Despite it all, the reason I didn't mind Emmett ignoring me during the day was the way his girlfriend looked at me. Rosalie looked at me like I was dirt. No, worse than dirt. Dirt doesn't offend most people the way I had clearly offended her. I understood she probably didn't like me talking to her boyfriend, but we were just talking. Honestly, if truth be told, I was more attracted to Edward than Emmett. Emmett, as gorgeous as he was, god-like even, just didn't draw me in the way Edward had. Though, when I tried to figure out why I liked Edward so much, I couldn't pinpoint it. The guy had barely looked at me, not spoken a single word to me, acted as though I would light him on fire if he got to close, and hadn't been back at school since. Hot, right? Stupid girl hormones.

I rose from my desk, breaking out of my thoughts, and moved to the window. As predicted, Emmett sat on the bench, his arms perched on the back of the seat. I smiled, glad to see him, and grabbed my jacket.

Emmett grinned and stood up when I reached him, causing me to frown.

"Why don't you ever sit beside me? You're large and very broad, but I think we both fit."

He laughed, a deep chuckle that reached his eyes and then nodded, sitting beside me on the bench. We sat in silence for a few minutes, the cold air wrapping around both of us, though Emmett didn't appear bothered by it. I sighed and glanced up at the house.

"This is stupid. Why do we sit out here every night? It's freezing, I'm a desert dweller, and I've got a perfectly good house right there."

Emmett's body tensed as he glanced toward the house.

"Your dad's in there," he said as though it had slipped my mind.

"Uh, so? It's not like I'm asking you up to my room to make out." Even as I said the words, I felt my cheeks heat up from embarrassment. Emmett laughed, a loud booming laugh, and shook his head.

"Well, obviously. But you don't think it's weird? Us hanging out in there while he's asleep?"

I shrugged and stood up.

"He sleeps like a log now. I think we're safe." I reached for his hand and he stared at it, as though scared I might hurt him. "Emmett?" I asked, feeling a lot like I had the day I sat beside Edward in biology class.

"I tell you what," he said, taking his eyes from my hand. "Why don't you go grab a shower and get ready for bed. That way when you're done, we can just chat until you fall asleep and then I'll let myself out. I'll run home and check in, then come back."

He stood up, not waiting for my answer, and moved toward the trees.

"I'll be back in a half an hour."

He grinned and disappeared into the trees.

**EPOV**

I waited until Bella went inside and then checked my watch, deciding a half an hour was more than enough time to do a little hunting before heading back to visit with Bella. Going home was actually out of the question. Most evenings after returning from visiting Bella, I was greeted by Edward reading my thoughts and lecturing me, Rosalie throwing me dirty looks, Alice avoiding everyone, and Jasper following her example. Only Carlisle and Esme seemed to have enough faith and understanding in me to accept what I was doing; though I could see Carlisle's reservations in the beginning.

My hunt was quick and easy. I'd already fed, but deciding that I would be in a house with two humans, and especially in close quarters with Bella, I decided feeding again couldn't hurt. I took extra care to keep from getting blood on me, just as I had been the last couple of nights. I couldn't imagine what kind of reaction I'd get from Bella if I showed up covered in blood.

By the time I stepped out of the woods, Bella was already at her window, running a towel through her hair. She spotted me and smiled before pointing to the backdoor. I met her there a few moments later and she let me in.

"Charlie's out. I checked. And now I know why he's been sleeping so hard: he's finally taking the sleeping pills we were prescribed. I saw them on his nightstand."

"We?" I asked, my eyes lingering on the dark purple bags under her eyes.

"Mhm," she replied. "I don't take mine."

I nodded, not wanting to point out the obviousness of that statement and followed her through the house to her room. The house, while too small for my taste (I frequently had to turn sideways to navigate hallways and turns), was cozy. Artwork hung here and there on the walls; mostly abstract paintings and photography. I noticed there were no family pictures and no mementos from Bella's past life, but didn't want to mention it.

The living room, the biggest room in the house, held a couch and a recliner, both facing a modest sized TV. In the far corner, away from the TV and somewhat isolated, an easel stood in front of the window. The canvas was blank with the exception of a single black line cutting across the middle.

Charlie's snores grew louder as we walked past his door and I understood why Bella wasn't concerned about his thoughts on my being in the house. The dude was out cold.

Bella led me into her bedroom and pushed the door closed behind me. She pulled her lip into her mouth, chewing on it gently as she looked around the room and then at me.

"Chateau Bella," she said awkwardly and resumed drying her hair.

The room, while small and cramped, was warm. Her bed looked unused with books, sketchpads, Cds, and clothes were strewn across it. Her desk stood beside the window, allowing her to see the sky from her seat or stand and look down to see the trees. Dark blue curtains framed the window, pulled back haphazardly and tied off with a piece of string.

"You never close your curtains?" I asked, pointing to the window. Bella shrugged, shook her head and turned away.

In the corner opposite her bed sat a large rocking chair. The back of the chair had been carved and etched into a forest scene, trees lined up beside one another with an opening right in the middle. Above the trees, the moon hung in the night sky, stars littering the backdrop.

"Cool chair," I remarked, glancing back at her.

She smiled and dropped the towel into a basket in her closet.

"It was my mom's." She said simply.

I nodded and finished surveying the room before turning to face her. She stared at me, biting her lip and rocking on her heels slowly.

"Um, can I get you something? Like, a coke or something? We probably have food too."

I waved my hand and shook my head, sitting down on an empty edge of the bed.

"No, I'm cool. Thanks, though."

She smiled and sat down in the chair, pulling her legs up under her body. With a couple clicks of her mouse, quiet music filled the room and she sat back, folding her arms over her chest.

"Tell me a story, Emmett," she said, turning toward me.

"What kind of story, Bella?"

She shrugged. "Anything. Something about you; about your life. I don't know much about you really."

_There's a reason for that,_ I thought with a sigh.

"When were you adopted?" She asked, throwing me a bone.

"Awhile back." I answered, vaguely. "Carlisle and Esme can't have kids, but Esme's very maternal. She had kids before and they died. I think she felt incomplete without a houseful of kids bugging her."

I felt a smile tug at my lips and let it spread into a grin.

"She's great. They both are. Carlisle so loyal. He's just devoted, ya know? The kind of devotion that doesn't come natural to most people. He'd rather suffer through every pain in the world than see anyone around him suffer. I think that goes most for Esme. I've never actually seen him deny her anything. My brothers and I give him hell for it sometimes, but he doesn't seem to care. We do it anyway though. That's just how we are; we bond over giving each other hell. But, I think that's how brothers are supposed to be."

I paused, allowing myself to remember my human family. My older brothers picked on me relentlessly. Days at the railroad passed in a blur of mockery, play fighting, pranks, and laughter.

"My brothers, my real brothers, they kind of instilled that in me. If you're not teasing each other, you're not doing your job. People can be too serious and sometimes you just have to remind them that life is better than all the bullshit going on in it. You just have to wait it out. Laughter helps and I think people forget that. I know Edward does. Jasper is so in love with Alice that she's all he can see. But Edward- that guy feels so alone and lost that he smiles as often as I lose my fights. Even today, I tried getting him to help me pull a prank on Jasper, but he just waved me off…"

Bella leaned forward a little, pulling her legs out from under her body.

"I thought… I thought maybe Edward had left town or something. I haven't seen him around lately."

My eyes met Bella's and I saw something in them. Hope, maybe? I frowned, shaking my head. If only she knew how much danger that hope put her in. Edward called Bella his singer. If that was true… Well, I'd met two of my own singers and neither of them lived to sing another day. Their blood called to me, singing a sweet lullaby that I couldn't ignore.

"He's been sick." I said firmly and Bella sat back.

After a few moments she looked up at me with a smile.

"Tell me more about your real family."

We talked for hours. Eventually Bella got up and cleared the bed off, lying down while I moved to the desk chair. Bella seemed to have a gift for keeping the topic of conversation on me. The few times I had managed to get it back to her, her answers were vague and short. After awhile, I got the feeling she just wanted to hear me talk and wasn't interested in doing the talking. I humored her, telling her more about my human family, but being careful to avoid details.

After a time, Bella's eyes began to droop, though it seemed like she was fighting it. Sometime after 3am, she fell asleep. I allowed myself to sit for a few more minutes before programming my cell number into her phone, leaving it open so she'd see it when she woke up. I let myself out of the house, pleased to hear Charlie's snores still coming from his room.

* * *

><p><strong>BPOV<strong>

I woke up with a start, the image of my own bloody eyes staring up at me still burned into my brain. I collapsed back on the bed, whimpering with aggravation, before realizing something wasn't quite right. I sat up and glanced around the room.

"Emmett?" I whispered as I reached for my bedside lamp, remembering he had been with me when I fell asleep. Soft light filled the room and Emmett was nowhere to be seen. I frowned and laid back, kicking the heavy down comforter off me. A thin layer of sweat covered my body and I reached for my phone, wondering just how long I had been asleep.

When I picked it up, I found that my contact list was open to Emmett's name and number, accompanied by a truly ridiculous photo of him throwing gang signs. I smiled, laughing despite the heaviness I felt in my heart. I took note of the time, nearly five in the morning, and closed my phone.

As I lay there, willing myself to stay awake, I thought over Emmett's stories and the way he talked so affectionately about his family. There were moments when true sadness filled his eyes, but other moments where his laughter and love shined bright. I smiled, thinking of it. I found Emmett to be a relaxing presence. Easy to talk to and funny, it made me wish I could spend more time around him. Even as I thought it, picturing Forks High in my head, Edward invaded my thoughts.

The brief looks I did get at his eyes perplexed me. When I first saw him, they looked golden, almost identical to Emmett's eyes. The next moment, they were nearly black and he avoided my gaze, not allowing me to take a closer look. The clean angle of his jaw line, the choppy cut of his hair, the pale pink tint of his lips… I rolled over with a groan. I'd never been struck by a guy like this before; especially not after seeing him only once. You'd think I would take the hint and accept that him ignoring me and disappearing meant he wasn't interested. After all, I'd always been told that if a guy wanted to be around you, he'd make it happen. But still, something inside me wanted to see him again.

I got up a short time later, deciding I'd make Charlie breakfast and send him off to work properly. Mom used to make him breakfast, pack a lunch, and wave to him from the door until he pulled out of the drive. Sometimes I wondered how difficult it was for him to pull out of the driveway without seeing her at the door. She'd always left for work before I had to leave the house, so I didn't have that memory, but there were other things…

I shook off the thought and went about my shower and morning chores. It was nearly 6:30 when Charlie finally got up. He wandered into the kitchen and sat down at the table, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He always seemed really out of it in the mornings and I blamed the sleeping pills for it.

"Coffee," I said, setting a mug down in front of him. He nodded his appreciation and stifled a yawn as he picked up the mug.

"What are you making over there?" He glanced toward the stove and I turned, poking the omelet in process with my spatula.

"Thought I'd make you breakfast. I woke up early. Turkey Sausage Omelet with cheese. I know you'd prefer bacon, but since I'm the cook, I'd rather not contribute to your clogged arteries." I smiled and turned back to the stove. Charlie laughed quietly and I could picture him shaking his head.

"Just like your mom, Bella. I swear, sometimes I half expect you two to tie me to a chair and force tofu and sprouts down me."

His laughter died out a few seconds later and while I had gotten used to him talking about mom in the present tense, a deep ache filled my chest.

Charlie finished the rest of his coffee in silence and I refilled it after placing his omelet in front of him. He smiled gratefully, though there was still a hint of sadness there, and dug in. I watched for a few seconds and then checked my watch.

"I'm gonna finish getting ready for school. Jessica is picking me up today."

Charlie nodded and I left the kitchen, leaving him to his thoughts. A little over half an hour later, he said goodbye and I heard his police cruiser pull out of the driveway. Jessica showed up soon after, her voice carrying from the car to my window as she called up to me.

"Good morning, Bella!"

I winced, deciding I missed the deep, calming tone of Emmett's voice, and grabbed my backpack.

Jessica and I pulled into the school parking lot a short time later and I pulled my hood up over my head in preparation.

"Why do you do that?" Jessica asked. "I mean, you're so pretty. Just leave it down."

I chuckled nervously and shook my head, pulling my backpack into my lap.

"Well, the snow, for starters. And I just… I feel better with it on."

Jessica rolled her eyes, muttered "whatever" and got out of the car. When I reached the front of the car, she laced her arm through mine, and I realized all was forgiven. She chattered incessantly as we moved away from the car, toward the school.

Suddenly, the sound of tires squealing filled the air around me. My heart clenched instantly and the air in my lungs rushed out. I was vaguely aware of Jessica pulling me by the arm, but my feet no longer worked and my eyes no longer saw. The sound of metal crunching and glass shattering made my blood run cold. Just as I felt my knees buckle and the world spin away from me, hard, strong arms caught my body and darkness enveloped me.

**EPOV**

"Have you lost your mind?" Rosalie hissed, staring between Edward and I. Edward refused to answer, staring at Bella instead. I glanced at her and saw that she was still unconscious. The nurse buzzed around her, muttering about the town ambulances being too far away from the only high school in the area. I looked back at Rosalie and shrugged, eliciting a growl from her.

"Look," I said, keeping my voice low enough that only the three of us could hear it. "It's not like we did anything. And I didn't move THAT fast. I just… Moved kinda fast."

"A blur, Emmett! That's all you were!" She looked behind me at the nurse and then scoffed, placing her hands on her hips.

"You moved fast enough, you idiot. You're damn lucky everyone was distracted by the wreck. And you!" she said, turning her attention on Edward.

"Not now, Rosalie." Edward said, his voice worn and tight.

"Oh no, I think now is a great time to talk about you. What happened to not coming back to the school, huh? You called her your singer, said you'd inevitably end up killing her, and then after you and Emmett chat it up last night, you just roll into the school like everything is fine and dandy. And then, when this idiot runs to her to keep her from hitting her fragile little head, you're right there with him. Do you have any idea how much attention you've drawn to us?"

Edward nodded, his eyes growing wide with exasperation and annoyance.

"Uh, yeah! I do actually. I can hear them, remember? Everyone is focusing on what Emmett and I would see in her and why we'd run to her rather than checking out the accident. And those who don't really care what we see in her are too busy fawning all over Tyler that they're not even paying attention to us. No one picked up on our speed or anything else."

"Yet." Rosalie hissed. "Just wait until they start piecing it together. And what about her? Emmett touched her. No gloves. And what if she saw his speed? What if she knows? Then what?"

"Enough." Carlisle said, appearing behind us. "What's done is done. We move forward and do damage control if need be. Emmett seems to have befriended the girl; he can take point in dealing with her, should she remember anything."

Rosalie stomped her feet quietly, not so much out of anger, but probably from the need to express her hostile energy. Carlisle placed his hand on my shoulder, gave a gentle squeeze and then narrowed his eyes at Edward.

"You shouldn't be here," he said quietly.

Edward shook his head and moved, sitting down in a chair across the room from Bella. Carlisle stared at him for a second and then moved away, going to Bella's bed. Rosalie sighed and turned to leave, but stopped when I didn't follow her. She stared at me, her eyes growing more and more insistent the longer I stood there. I shrugged and she scoffed, giving me a long hard look before she turned and marched off.

"I'll pay for that later," I muttered and sat down beside Edward. He nodded, but didn't speak.

"So," I said. "Just because you saw the hope in her eyes when you invaded my thoughts last night? That's the whole reason you came back and then…?"

Edward squeezed his eyes shut and ran a hand over them, rubbing roughly.

"I don't know what I'm thinking. Her blood calls to me, but something else about her also calls to me. I know better than to chance it; to test myself this way. But I can't stay away any longer."

"Yeah," I said. "It doesn't help that you invade my thoughts each night to learn about her. You're only making it worse for yourself. She doesn't call to me the way she does to you and I've learned to control myself much better, but she still makes my throat burn after awhile."

Edward and I sat in silence while Carlisle checked over Bella and Tyler. I got up to talk with Carlisle, sad to see how pale and lifeless Bella looked. Something about it hurt my spirit.

"Her mom died in a car accident, Carlisle. She was there when it happened and I think she still has nightmares about it. I bet the sounds of the accident triggered something. Jessica says she just stopped walking and then went down, and that's pretty much what Edward and I saw."

Carlisle nodded and gave me a pat on the shoulder before moving on to check out Tyler. A bandage around his hand and over his forehead told me he suffered minor injuries, nothing too worrying. I stood beside Bella's bed, still holding her backpack from earlier. Just as I was about to turn and go back to my seat, Bella's eyes fluttered and opened. A small groan escaped her lips and she moved a hand to her stomach.

"Bella?" I asked and her eyes met mine.

"Em," she whispered, assigning me the nickname. "What happ-" She stopped, her words cutting off abruptly. A shadow crossed over her face and she shook her head slowly. "Oh," she whispered and closed her eyes. "God, how embarrassing."

I laughed despite her misery and smiled down at her, brushing a stray curl from her face, careful not to touch her skin.

"Don't worry, Bella. People are talking way more about Tyler losing control of his mom's van than about you passing out for no apparent reason." I grinned and she groaned, sitting up slowly. As she sat up, her eyes fell on Edward and a blush instantly invaded her cheeks.

"Edward," she said, surprise and trepidation in her voice.

Edward stood and came to the side of the bed next to me and smiled (well, it was really more of a grimace).

"Hello, Bella. How are you feeling?"

Bella shrugged, confusion written across her face.

"Um, fine I guess. Why are you here? I mean, you've been gone for days; why are you suddenly at my bedside on the most embarrassing day of my life in Forks?"

Edward opened his mouth to answer, but Carlisle appeared then, cutting off the conversation. Bella gasped when she saw him, her eyes widening as she looked between Edward, Carlisle, and myself.

"Good morning, Bella. I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen." Realization dawned across Bella's face and her features relaxed a bit. "I hear you've had a rough morning. Mind if I check you over?"

Bella shook her head and shot me a pained look, seemingly asking for help. I shrugged and she laid her head back on the pillow.

"Any blurriness, head pain, or problems speaking?" Carlisle pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and waved it in front of Bella's eyes a few times, tracking her pupils.

"No, nothing like that. My stomach is a little uneasy, but I didn't eat this morning and when everything happened…"

Carlisle smiled knowingly and put his flashlight away.

"You look fine to me, Bella. I've called an ambulance to take Tyler to the hospital for a few tests, but given that you didn't actually hit the ground-" Carlisle glanced at me before continuing. "-I think you're just fine. I can write you a doctor's note if you'd like to take the rest of the day to recover a bit though."

Bella looked to me and then back at Carlisle.

"Um, I don't really… I don't want to call my dad to pick me up. He'll just freak out. And I don't have another way to get home, so I guess I'll stay."

"I'll take her. I have a free period coming up anyway." I said, before thinking about it. Carlisle gave me a long, thoughtful look and then smiled down at Bella. "Very well. I'll write you a note."

Bella smiled appreciatively and then settled back again.

"Thanks, Em." Her eyes moved from me to Edward and blood filled her cheeks again. Edward took a cautious step back, picking up his backpack from the floor to make it look like he had a reason to move away.

"Glad you're doing well, Bella." He smiled, a more natural looking smile this time, and turned, leaving the room.

Bella looked up at me and laughed a short, choppy laugh.

"Your brother's kind of weird. I don't really know what to make of him."

I laughed, louder than I intended, and then hushed myself.

"You know, kid, I have a feeling that might go both ways."

**BPOV**

Emmett drove me home in his jeep, which seemed to be built for playing in the mud. It suited Emmett and made me smile to see it. He asked me if I was okay a few times, probably because I hadn't said more than three words since we left the school. My mind seemed to be working in over drive and I wanted so desperately to draw and get some of it out onto paper. I kept hearing the screech of the tires in my head, which kept taking me back to my mom's accident, and I remembered Emmett's arms wrapping around me just as I was about to hit the ground. That part made me smile and I felt a little more secure. I hadn't even seen him yet this morning and then he was there, catching me when I needed caught. And then, of course, there was Edward. He looked so concerned when I saw him in the nurse's office. His eyes held mine and there seemed to be something in them that he wouldn't quite let to the surface. As confused as I was about him just showing up out of the blue like that, I couldn't deny that it made me feel good.

"What are you thinking?" Emmett asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. "You're blushing and biting your lip. What's going on in your head?"

I turned in my seat, facing him a little better.

"What's up with Edward? Like, what's his story?"

Emmett stared out the window at the road and then shrugged before turning to look at me.

"He's kind of complicated. Good guy, though. One of the best. Definitely better than me."

I snorted and groaned, embarrassed by my own stupid reactions. Emmett chuckled and shook his head before moving his hand to the heater, directing the aim of the blower onto me instead of him.

"I don't know about that." I said quietly. "You seem like a pretty good guy. Edward wouldn't even speak to me the day I sat next to him in biology. It was like I had offended him somehow and I don't know how I could have. But then he shows up today…"

I frowned, biting my lip as I struggled through my thoughts. Emmett remained silent the rest of the way home and dropped me off with a smile. He waited until I was in the house and then I heard his jeep pull out of the driveway, leaving me in my very empty, very quiet house.

Suddenly, I found myself wishing I were anywhere but here. Like a light clearing the fog out of my brain, a thought hit me…

I'd explore the forest.

**A/N: Thanks for all the kind reviews. I'm trying to wait until I get a decent amount of feedback to post each new chapter so I know what you guys think so far. I like for my stories to be a bit different from the loads of other Bella/Emmett stories and hope I'm creating something I can be proud of in that regard. Please review... Reviews keep me writing out of sheer curiosity. Cheers. ALL.  
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